1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wall systems. In particular, the instant system includes wall components which allow blocks such as glass block to be inserted into a final position and secured without the need for specialized tools or expertise.
2. Description of the Related Art
For many years, glass blocks have been used as building materials for walls, skylights, and floors. There have been problems with existing systems for glass block however. For one, the glass blocks are typically set in rigid or semi-rigid mortar which tends to crack and leak with age. Proper mixing of mortar requires the expertise of a trained mason. When mortar is mixed at the job site, there is little control over the amount of water added and, therefore, the strength and weather-ability of the mortar is impacted. Mortared block walls, even when reinforced, have limited structural strength. Alignment of block laid at the job site is also often inconsistent and requires a work space large enough to accommodate bags of mortar, water and mixing equipment. Also, field weather conditions are often unpredictable, affecting the quality of mortared glass block walls built on site. Because mortar takes time to properly cure (harden), the installer must remobilize to the site to remove remaining mortar residue after it has been allowed to cure. Uncured glass block walls cannot be exposed to excessive wind loads and must be barricaded to prevent impact loads, often difficult in occupied spaces. Finally, replacement of damaged glass block units in a mortared system is difficult and time consuming because of the need for special tools, materials and expertise. Repairs are often visually objectionable because the fresh mortar does not match that of weathered mortar.
Mortarless wall systems, particularly those comprising blocks, are known in the art. The blocks are traditionally held in forms or frames and secured thereto using brackets, flanges, or by bonding. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,299 to Ringness shows a glass block frame for forming a window or wall, which has at least one removable perimeter retainer member releasably connected to a respective perimeter member and including a flange for retaining the glass block. U.S. Pat. No. 7,007,436 to Kelley teaches a snap-in-place building block for a constructing wall, which has a male interlocking device positioned below a frame flange of an internal support bracket, in alignment with female interlocking devices positioned on either side of a rebar clip.
As it relates particularly to glass blocks, there are only so many locations along the block that can be used as a fastening point to a structural frame because it is essential that the aesthetics of the glass wall be maintained. Therefore, wall systems have been developed which allow glass blocks to be assembled to form a wall system without an undue number of screws, fasteners and required tools, thereby easing the assembly. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 7,373,763 to Voegele, Jr. et al. describes a glass block assembly for use as building material in a wall, which has structural rods extending entirely across the structural perimeter frame so that primary and secondary muntins form a matrix within the perimeter frame to receive glass blocks. In this manner integral blocks can be dropped into the frame or muntin matrix and secured using fasteners driven through the perimeter of the frame only.
In the field of construction, particularly the building of walls and screen walls, it is often desirable to have a system wherein individual wall components can be inserted into their final positions in a manner where spring-loaded elements will snap into detents and thus secure the units in place without the need for specialized tools or expertise. The ability to insert units in this way is especially convenient in cases where existing units may be damaged and replacement units are to be installed, ideally, very quickly and without special tools or expertise. This is especially desirable when centrally-located blocks may be damaged, which traditionally would require the removal of other blocks or components of the wall in a sequential fashion. The present invention satisfies all of these needs and others, as follows.